does airline have to pay to use jetway?
 

I have flown numerous domestic flights in Indonesia over the past 25 years. The larger cities have jetways at the terminals. New terminal 3 in CGK (Jakarta) had them from the outset (2011), but I have never seen them used during dozens of Air Asia flights to/from that terminal before its recent upgrade/expansion (2016). Nor have I seen any other airlines use them.

I flew into and out of Batam (BTH) this month and our plane was parked about as far from the terminal as possible despite several empty jetways. Long walk under a mid-day sun at 1 degree north latitude.

So, I'm wondering if low-cost carriers tend to avoid jetways because they are charged a fee for them by the airport. Any solid info on this? Is it possible that a jetway is cheaper than hauling out a ladder (and arranging for a tarmac bus)?

yes
 

use of jetways incur fees.


everything you do the moment wheels touch the tarmac incurs a charge.

here is what SIN charges for the use of various facilities for instance. Link




lcc flights usually involve a short bus ride. esp in third world s.e.a. stations

"It depends"

In the US, where airlines run terminals, they internalize jetway cost use.

In places where ground handlers provide services, airlines normally have a choice - jetways or buses (or sometimes walking). Costs are different.

In the US carriers lease gates and jetbridges and stands. No airline runs a terminal themselves directly.

Thanks for the link Frobozz. So, SGD 85 for a craft holding as many as 150 pax. That comes to USD 50 cents per passenger for a full plane. Gee, I wonder if anyone ever surveyed the pax to see if saving them a buck is more important than saving them a long walk?